0HNHWC Dell 16TB SAS-12GBPS 7200RPM 3.5Inch 512MB Buffer 512e SED FIPS-140 Form HDD

Dell 16TB SAS 12GBPS 3.5Inch HDD

The Dell 0HNHWC 16TB SAS-12Gbps 7200RPM 3.5-Inch HDD is engineered for enterprise-grade performance, reliability, and scalability. Featuring advanced encryption, helium platform design, and hot-plug capability, this drive is ideal for high-density data centers and large-scale storage environments.

General Information

• Brand: Dell
• Model Number: 0HNHWC
• Device Category: Hard Disk Drive

Technical Specifications

Storage Details

• Capacity: 16TB
• Form Factor: 3.5 Inch
• Interface: SAS-12Gbps
• Cache Memory: 512MB
• Sector Format: Advanced 512e
• Encryption: Self-Encrypting Drive (SED) FIPS-140 compliant

Performance Metrics

• Spindle Speed: 7200 RPM
• Average Latency: 4.16 ms
• Interface Transfer Rate: 1200 Mbps
• Sustained Data Rate: 250 Mbps
• Buffer Size: 512MB

Distributed File Systems

• Ideal for Ceph™ and OpenStack® Swift object storage
• Reliable for bulk storage solutions

Big Data Analytics

• Primary and secondary storage for Apache Hadoop®
• Designed for large-scale analytics workloads

Expansion & Connectivity

• Interface: 1 x SAS 12Gb/s
• Compatible Bays: 1 x Hot-swap 3.5 Inch

Compatibility

Supported Dell PowerEdge Servers

Rack Servers

• PowerEdge R440
• PowerEdge R640
• PowerEdge R6415
• PowerEdge R740
• PowerEdge R740xd
• PowerEdge R7415
• PowerEdge R7425

High-Density Servers

• PowerEdge C6420

0HNHWC6TB SAS 12GBPS 3.5Inch Hard Disk Drive Overview

The enterprise SAS hard disk drive category represented by the Dell 0HNHWC 16TB SAS-12Gbps 7200RPM 3.5-inch helium platform drive is designed to address the most demanding data center and enterprise infrastructure requirements. This category focuses on high-capacity, high-reliability rotational storage engineered for continuous operation, mission-critical workloads, and environments where predictable performance, data integrity, and security compliance are mandatory. Within this segment, storage devices are optimized for compatibility with enterprise servers, storage arrays, and scalable infrastructure platforms that rely on Serial Attached SCSI interfaces for consistent throughput and fault tolerance.

Enterprise SAS hard disk drives differ fundamentally from consumer or nearline alternatives by prioritizing sustained performance, error recovery control, advanced firmware intelligence, and validated interoperability. The Dell 0HNHWC model exemplifies these principles through its 12Gbps SAS interface, helium-sealed mechanical design, and extensive security and compliance features. The category serves organizations that demand dependable large-scale storage for databases, virtualization clusters, private cloud architectures, analytics platforms, and long-term archival systems, all while maintaining operational efficiency and regulatory alignment.

High-Capacity Storage Architecture for Modern Data Growth

The defining characteristic of this category is its emphasis on extremely high storage density per drive. A 16TB capacity within a single 3.5-inch form factor enables enterprises to consolidate data, reduce the number of physical drives required, and maximize storage efficiency within rack-mounted servers and enclosures. This approach supports data growth trends driven by digital transformation, big data analytics, artificial intelligence, and content-heavy applications, where storage demands expand continuously.

High-capacity enterprise SAS drives are engineered to maintain consistent performance even as they scale to multi-terabyte capacities. The Dell 0HNHWC drive integrates precision-engineered platters and advanced head technologies to deliver reliable read and write operations across the entire disk surface. In category terms, these drives provide an optimal balance between capacity and access performance, ensuring that large datasets remain readily accessible without sacrificing throughput stability.

Helium Platform Technology and Mechanical Efficiency

Helium platform technology is a defining innovation within this category. By replacing traditional air-filled enclosures with helium-sealed designs, enterprise SAS drives significantly reduce internal turbulence and friction. Helium’s lower density allows platters to spin more efficiently at 7200RPM, enabling higher platter counts while maintaining thermal stability and mechanical reliability.

This technology contributes directly to lower power consumption per terabyte, improved drive longevity, and enhanced vibration tolerance. In dense enterprise environments where multiple drives operate in close proximity, reduced vibration is essential for consistent performance. The helium platform used in the Dell 0HNHWC aligns with category standards focused on maximizing efficiency while minimizing operational overhead in large-scale deployments.

SAS 12Gbps Interface and Enterprise Connectivity

The Serial Attached SCSI 12Gbps interface is a cornerstone of this category. SAS connectivity provides full-duplex communication, robust command queuing, and advanced error handling mechanisms that are critical for enterprise workloads. Unlike consumer interfaces, SAS supports dual-port functionality, enabling redundant data paths and seamless failover in high-availability storage architectures.

Within the category, SAS-12Gbps drives are selected for environments where predictable latency and sustained throughput are essential. The Dell 0HNHWC drive supports this interface standard, ensuring compatibility with enterprise RAID controllers, host bus adapters, and storage backplanes. This level of integration is vital for data centers that require consistent performance under mixed workloads, including transactional processing, virtualization, and sequential data streaming.

Advanced Data Security and Compliance Standards

Data security is a core requirement in enterprise storage categories, and the Dell 0HNHWC drive exemplifies this focus through self-encrypting drive technology and FIPS-140 compliance. Drives within this category are designed to protect sensitive data at rest by employing hardware-based encryption that operates independently of host system resources. This ensures that encryption does not introduce performance penalties while maintaining strong security controls.

FIPS-140 validation is particularly important for organizations operating in regulated industries such as finance, healthcare, government, and defense. This category of enterprise SAS drives enables compliance with strict data protection standards, supporting secure data lifecycle management from deployment to decommissioning.

Self-Encrypting Drive Capabilities

Self-encrypting drive functionality ensures that all data written to the disk is automatically encrypted using industry-standard algorithms. The encryption keys are managed internally by the drive, reducing the risk of exposure and simplifying security management. Within the enterprise SAS category, SED support is increasingly considered a baseline requirement rather than an optional feature.

These capabilities allow organizations to implement secure storage architectures without relying solely on software-based encryption solutions. The result is a more resilient security posture that aligns with modern zero-trust and data-centric security models.

Regulatory Alignment and Secure Decommissioning

Enterprise storage environments often require secure data erasure and decommissioning processes. Drives in this category support cryptographic erase functions that instantly render stored data inaccessible by deleting encryption keys. This feature streamlines asset retirement and redeployment while ensuring compliance with data protection regulations.

The Dell 0HNHWC drive’s adherence to FIPS-140 standards positions it squarely within a category designed for organizations that must demonstrate rigorous data handling and disposal practices. This alignment reduces compliance risk and simplifies audit processes.

Form Factor Compatibility and Hot Plug Functionality

The 3.5-inch form factor remains a standard within enterprise data centers due to its capacity advantages and mechanical robustness. Drives in this category are engineered for seamless integration into hot-swap bays and modular server architectures. Hot plug capability allows administrators to replace or upgrade drives without interrupting system operation, supporting high availability and continuous service delivery.

This functionality is critical in environments where downtime is costly or unacceptable. Enterprise SAS drives like the Dell 0HNHWC are designed to support hot plug operations safely and reliably, with firmware and hardware safeguards that ensure data integrity during insertion and removal.

Enterprise Backplane and RAID Integration

Compatibility with enterprise backplanes and RAID configurations is a defining characteristic of this category. SAS drives are validated for use with hardware RAID controllers, enabling advanced data protection schemes such as mirroring, parity, and striping. These configurations enhance fault tolerance and performance, making the category suitable for mission-critical applications.

The Dell 0HNHWC drive’s design ensures consistent behavior under RAID management, including predictable error recovery times and robust communication with controller firmware. This reliability is essential for maintaining array health and minimizing rebuild times in the event of a drive failure.

Key Reliability and 24/7 Operation

Enterprise SAS hard disk drives are built for continuous operation in demanding conditions. This category emphasizes durability, reliability, and consistent performance over extended lifecycles. Drives are engineered to withstand constant workloads, elevated temperatures, and vibration common in dense server environments.

The Dell 0HNHWC drive reflects these category priorities through its robust mechanical design, advanced error correction, and intelligent firmware features. These attributes ensure that performance remains stable even under sustained heavy usage, supporting enterprise applications that operate around the clock.

Error Handling and Data Integrity Technologies

Advanced error detection and correction mechanisms are integral to this category. Enterprise SAS drives employ sophisticated algorithms to detect, correct, and report errors before they impact system stability. These technologies work in concert with SAS protocol features to ensure reliable data transmission and recovery.

Within the category, predictable error recovery behavior is essential for maintaining RAID array stability. Drives like the Dell 0HNHWC are optimized to avoid prolonged recovery attempts that could trigger false drive failures, thereby enhancing overall system resilience.

Use Case Alignment Across Enterprise Workloads

The enterprise SAS hard disk drive category supports a wide range of use cases, from primary data storage to nearline and archival applications. The combination of high capacity, reliable performance, and robust security makes these drives suitable for storing large datasets that require frequent access and long-term retention.

Organizations deploying the Dell 0HNHWC drive benefit from a versatile storage solution that aligns with evolving workload requirements. Whether supporting virtualized environments, enterprise resource planning systems, or data analytics platforms, this category provides the foundation for scalable and resilient storage architectures.